


Ember/Shroud

by Blake_Belladonna_Defence_Force



Category: RWBY
Genre: AU, F/F, Friends to Lovers, sir? that’s my emotional support soul AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-14
Updated: 2019-10-14
Packaged: 2020-12-31 01:02:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,173
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21028646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blake_Belladonna_Defence_Force/pseuds/Blake_Belladonna_Defence_Force
Summary: Yang considers herself to be an intelligent woman. But even she tends to screw up sometimes. This is one of those times.





	Ember/Shroud

**Author's Note:**

> This is an AU idea I came up with due to Blake’s issues with dogs. I wanted something a bit more serious than “she’s a cat lol”, so here we are. Should I write more? What do you think?

_“…Yang. What is that.”_

_“It’s a dog, Blake. Ya know, canine? Canis Familaris?”_

_“I know what a dog is, Xiao Long. I want to know why it’s in our fucking apartment.”_

Uh oh. This was bad. Very bad. When Blake was mad she yelled. It was a part of her passionate nature; an injustice is done and Blake will have your head. But it was when she got quiet and spoke in that dangerously low tone of voice that you should probably start backing up. And never mention that’s she’s actually really pretty when she’s mad. Additionally, she was swearing and Blake only really swore when she was really pissed off. And apparently bringing home a Newfoundland equaled really pissed off the cat faunus.

_“She needed a home. The poor baby was all alone, isn’t that right, Shroud?” _Yang cooed adoringly at the friendly giant laying in front of their sofa.

_“That is not a baby. That is a monster that I am sure will probably kill my cat.” _Shroud whined and laid her head down, the dog almost seemed hurt._ What am I supposed to do about Ember, Yang?!”_Almost as on cue, a slender ginger tabby slunk her way into the living room. The cat immediately trotted over to Yang, headbutting her ankles fondly, completely ignoring her actual owner altogether. Before Yang could bend down to let the cat sniff her hands, Ember locked onto Shroud. She slowly walked over sniffed the giant nose that was presented to her. What truly surprised the two girls, however, was when Ember butted her head under the giant dog’s jaw before curling up against the dogs stomach and glancing at them as if to say_ “this is my bed now”._

_“Ember, you traitor. I saved you from the streets when you were a kitten. I raised you and loved you like my own and this is how you repay me?!” _Yang wished that she could say that Blake was joking but the cat faunus could be quite… _extra_when she wanted to be. To say the least; she was not pleased.

Yang walked over and scooped Ember up, not without complaint, and held her out to Blake.

_“Aw, c’mon mum. Can we keep her? I’ve only just met her and I love her!”_ She pitched her voice, wiggling Ember around as though the cat were talking. This resulted in a bitten hand and a very disgruntled cat.

_“You earned that. I pay half the rent, Yang. Couldn’t you have spoken to me about this first? You know how I feel about dogs.”_

_“Yeah, well, that’s kind of why I didn’t.”_

_“So you decided to ignore how I felt and go behind my back?” _Yang winced. When you put it like that…

_“Look, I’m sorry that I didn’t talk to you but my old high school buddy needed her gone ASAP. I couldn’t just leave her.” _Yang made sure to look her friend in the eyes. She’d learned a long time ago that eye contact was important to the other woman and Yang always tried to make sure that she knew that she had Yang’s attention.

Blake didn’t say anything for a long while.

_“Fine. Whatever.”_ She muttered, faunus ears pinned against her head, before turning on her heel and heading to her room. Yang cringed as she heard Blake’s door slam. Their uni days had taught her when to push and pull and when to back off. This was very much a back off situation. Even if she found it hard to understand why somebody would be so deadset against a dog.

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Hours later, she was laying on the floor cuddling with both cat and dog when she heard Blake walk into the kitchen. She immediately headed over and stopped short. She knew Blake. She knew what she looked like when she was ecstatic, what she looked look when she was about to kick somebody’s ass.

Yang also knew what it looked like when one of her friend’s depressive episodes were kicking in. So the sight of a drained, red eyed and shuffling Blake was not new to her. It always broke her heart to see one of the most amazing, incredible people she’s ever met hurt like this. But to know that she was the potential cause…

_“Blake?” _Yang had never sounded, or felt, so small. Blake breathed deeply for a moment before turning to Yang.

_“He used to keep dogs. Trained them to bite and attack. I don’t exactly have pleasant memories of them.”_ When Blake spoke, carefully holding her hip as it ached, it hit her hard. Of course, that was in the police report when they finally managed to get Blake’s ex away from her for good. Why the hell didn’t she put two and two together?!

_“Shit, Blake. I am so sorry. I don’t know why I didn’t- it doesn’t matter. I obviously hurt you and I am so, so sorry.” _Yang was close to tears herself at this point. She had seen how that man had broken her friend. Watched as Blake pulled herself from the shadows and stood tall and continued to repeat that process every single time he knocked her down. Now that she was finally free of him, she could be who she was meant to be. But that didn’t mean that he didn’t still haunt her. It hurt to see the pain in the other girl’s eyes but she kept eye contact. _“I’ll find her a new home as soon as possible, I swear.” _

Maybe that would have been it. Maybe she would have rehomed Shroud and they would have been done with it. But the canine in question suddenly walked into the kitchen and made her way to Blake.

_“Just stay still, Blake. It’s okay, I won’t let her hurt you. I promise.” _Blake was frozen but before Yang could grab her, Shroud sat at Blake’s feet and stared up at her. Yang paused. It was eerily similar to how Ember had decided that Yang was her bonded person. Blake’s breathing started to even out as she gazed at Shroud, who then proceeded to flip over onto her back and wiggle, tongue and jowls flopping comically.

_“Hi?” _Blake’s uncertainty would have been adorable had it not been for the situation. As the dog shifted, so too did Blake, her gaze becoming more curious than fearful. There was a patch of white on the dog’s black chest, seeming to form the shape of some kind of flower._ “I think the fates are fucking with me.”_Blake mumbled._ “Because **that** is a Belladonna plant.”_

Yang blinked. Blake met her gaze and before too long, the two women were giggling. Perhaps it was the fact that tensions were running high or perhaps Shroud had somehow known how to break the ice with Blake. Because when Blake spoke next, she left Yang surprised.

_“Keep her.” _Blake inhales shakily. “But please, for the love of God; train her properly. I can’t live like that again, Yang.” Yang immediately nodded and then, unable to help herself, ran over to hug Blake.

Only to be blocked by a large furry body. Shroud wasn’t growling, merely acting as a barrier. The dog had apparently thought that Yang was going to hurt Blake and was already trying to defend her. Wasn’t there a meme online about that? “I’ve only had Blake for one day but if anything happened to her, I’d kill everyone in this room and then myself.” Evidently, that was what was going on here. Not that Yang could blame the dog. Bonded animals did tend to be extremely protective of their person, if that’s what this was.

_“Uh, Blake? I think that you have a body guard now.”_

_“Oh.” _There was a light sniffle as the emotions of the past few hours crashed over Blake._ “I think that that’s fair since you stole my cat.” _Yang snorted, side stepping around Shroud carefully before wrapping Blake up in a hug.

_“Not my fault she’s my soul pet or whatever the hell they’re called.” _Yang defended herself. _“I can’t believe that I’m going to need to ask a dog for permission to hug you.”_ Blake giggled weakly, burying her head into Yang’s neck.

_“Just… lets take it slow, yeah? I’m not going to become a dog person over night. Even if she is my bonded animal.” _Yang hummed. Well, that confirmed it. Most people could tell once eye contact is made. They felt a sort of unspoken promise; the creature would protect their sworn master, so to speak. The bonded animal would then act as a sort of body guard. It was useful many years ago but now it was more about them being glorified emotional support companions. Sometimes the matchups were odd. Yang had honestly beloved hers would be a golden retriever, not her best friend’s cat. And apparently Blake’s bonded animal was her best friend’s dog, despite the fear that she held for them.

Maybe Blake would never love dogs. But Shroud could at least be one dog that Blake could at least be comfortable with. After all, people were usually gifted the animal that they needed the most.

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

It was a late afternoon when Yang realised she had been right. It had taken weeks, even months worth of training and slow progress between the two but eventually, Yang was forced to admit that Shroud was meant to never hers. Just like Ember was never meant to Blake’s.

She had just come home from work and had called out to Blake when she heard distant singing coming from the kitchen. Rounding the corner revealed a very surprising sight. One that made Yang melt.

Shroud had her paws on Blake’s shoulder as the young woman danced them around the kitchen singing along to the radio. Those gym sessions were really starting to pay off for Blake.

_“You could be my Queen, I could be your dream. Oh, let me be your bumblebee.” _Blake giggled as Shroud barked at her. It was a sign of how far they had come considering that she used to flinch at such. _“Yang loves this song. Now that I mention her…I think that you might be a much better dancer than your mother, Shroud. Even if she doesn’t quite realise that staring is rude.” _

Yang blinked. She’d been caught.

_“Sorry, I’m just stupidly proud of you. So proud, in fact, that I’m going to ignore that jab at my awesome dancing abilities and my pride.” _Yang glanced down at Shroud, who had dropped to all fours._“You going to say hi, girl, or are you just going to abandon me for a pretty lady?”_Shroud almost seemed to glare at her before looking up at Blake who nodded solemnly in return. Yang let out more than a few grumbles about traitorous mutts and reached out to pet Shroud. Until she noticed an envelope in the dog’s collar. She rolled her eyes; they had taken to using the poor dog as a messenger, after all. Opening the letter revealed a reservation for one of the new high end restaurants in Vale. She looked up at Blake in confusion.

_“It’s that new faunus cuisine place I told you about. You’re free Friday at six, yeah?” _Blake was smirking and leaning up against the bench.

_“Um, yes, why?”_

_“Because if you won’t make the first move beyond telling me I’m “feisty” and “pretty when I’m mad”, then I will.” _Blake narrowed her eyes. _“Don’t think that I haven’t noticed, Yang.” _

_“Oh. Am I that obvious?” _Yang swallowed nervously.

_“Yes. Also your sister and her “BFF” talked to me and have me informed to, and I quote, ‘take your pining, queer ass out before Weiss kills somebody.” I’m still not sure if Weiss_ _wants me to date you or snipe you.”_ Yang felt her eye twitch. Those two…

_“I mean, I’m more than happy to go on date with you and all, Blake, but I kind of want to kill them, now.”_

“_Want to pretend like nothing’s happened and mess with them for a couple of weeks?”_

_“How the hell are you so perfect?” _Blake simply laughed and walked out of the kitchen with Shroud in tow.

_“And of course the stupid dog follows her.”_ Feeling a bump against her ankles, Yang looked down. Seeing Ember, Yang quickly bent to hold her up to her face.

_“But as long she keeps smiling, she can keep stealing from me. I mean, your mum already has my heart and soul, what else could I possibly lose?” _She asked the cat quietly. Ember purred, apparently content with the results of her meddling from way back when. Yang smiled. It always made it a little more special when your bonded animal approved of your partner. If she was being honest with herself, so she was on cloud nine. Well, up until she heard Blake’s voice float down the hall.

_“I heard that. Oh, you are so never living that one down, Yang!”_

**Author's Note:**

> Things to note:
> 
> Adam (abusive ex) is in jail.  
Blake has come a long way but has residual trauma and depression.  
COMMUNICATION ISSUES!  
Yang does have a moment of being a lil forgetful and maybe a touch insensitive but she tries to make it better.  
Blake and Yang were roommates in college who decided to move in together.  
This is mostly because of Blake’s cat.  
They don’t know why but being too far apart physically hurts.  
So oblivious.  
Adam probably ran a dog fight ring or trained them to attack humans.  
Faunas are a thing.  
Set in Vale.  
Apparently soul pets or bonded animals or whatever are things here.  
The animal you were always meant to own/your guardian.  
Even more special if it’s your soulmates pet and it adopts you.  
Having your soulmates bonded animal approve of you is the highest complement.  
Both animals getting along and approving of each human in the relationship is rare and usually means they’re soulmates or something.  
They will often act as wingmen  
It’s how Blake and Yang truly bonded as friends.  
Ember is a stray that Blake rescued as a kitten.  
When she finds out Yang is her cat’s bonded human, she’s surprised because: blonde party girl.  
She tried to keep Ember; does not go well.  
Yang tried to keep Ember; does not go well.  
She refused to leave Blake but demanded that her bonded human stay.  
Even the cat ships them.


End file.
